In 1973 Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor came to Pittsfield to dedicate the Roger Clark Memorial Library. “Above all you have created here and we dedicate here this building to the hopes and ambitions of thousands of people as yet unborn, who will find here a sense of pride and togetherness, a source for practical knowledge or poetic inspiration, as their choice may be, and a place to complement the inspiration given them to grow in body, heart and mind among these beautiful hills as Vermonters have for 200 years.”

In 1973 Susie Martin was one of the 5 members of the library board. This year, almost 40 years later, she has bravely decided to pass the library on to a new group of volunteers. During that time Susie has done everything to make our cherished all volunteer library run; from making certain important library organizational standards were upheld and guiding new volunteers, to helping young patrons write their own names on their cards. I expect we have only an inkling of the work she has done. If you see Susie, please thank her for her time and dedication to the library, without her guidance and commitment the Library would not be here today.

As we strive to live up to our library’s history, we are proud of our accomplishments in 2010. Here are just a few:

Third annual Eliteam family fitness program (inspiring over 70 kids and adults).

Third annual book sale at the Pittsfield Bazaar.

Third annual community and fund raising dinner, this year at the Clear River Tavern.

New free books to over 90 trick-or-treating children on Halloween

The now traditional Night Before the Night Before Christmas.

Ongoing free distribution of weeded books at the Pitt Stop.

Hundreds of new books added to the shelves.

And now to the future. Thanks to the thoughtful consideration of the select board, the building committee and our town as a whole, a year from now we expect to be moving into a new space. The Pittsfield town offices will take over our space, and we will have a renovated room upstairs to continue our 110 year tradition. With your help we will continue to evolve as a library and community center. Our goal is to serve the needs of our entire community, please stop in soon. We are an all volunteer municipal library, without you none of this would be possible. So thank you.